Money from the arrangement, overseen by the Connecticut Development Authority, will supposedly help pay for upgrades to the 32-year-old arena inside the building, but having Hartford's name on the Civic Center was a huge symbolic boon for a city desperately striving for an identity. The next time a Springsteen-caliber act opens a tour in Hartford's arena, it'll be at the Faceless Corporate Center.

Worse, XL Insurance isn't even based in Hartford, though it has an office here. XL is an off-shore company with headquarters in Bermuda.

OK I admit I oversee the Dodge Music Center and the Chevrolet Theatre but everytime it is mentioned as to where the artist is playing the name of the city is included. Our Bruce Springsteen show at the XL Center will always say Hartford Ct. This is one of the few buildings in the country that did not have a name in its title. Its no big deal.

ABOUT

Eric R. Danton is rock critic for The Hartford Courant, covering (to varying degrees) everything that's not jazz or classical music, with an emphasis on the local scene. ... read more